A significant problem for military and peace-keeping personnel travelling across former or current militarised territory is the risk of exposure to landmines. Landmines are configured to release an explosive charge when activated underneath a vehicle. Once the charge is initiated, the occupants of the vehicle are susceptible to serious injury or death by the shockwave and/or blast forces that may penetrate the under-structure of the vehicle. In many instances, the ground has a tendency to focus the forces substantially upwards.
Attempts to increase safety have focused on the design and development of the chassis of vehicles where the under-structure has been modified to enhance the resistance to the shockwave and impact from shrapnel or like debris. The result of such efforts has proven problematic in cost and operation given the significant degree of re-design required to accommodate the necessary running equipment, i.e., floor plan structure, differentials, axels, and the like. Operation of such revised designs can present further risk to personnel operating such vehicles when used in adverse territory due to, for example, changes in stability and operational reliability.
It will be clearly understood that, although prior art use(s) and publication(s) may be referred to herein, any such reference(s) do not constitute an admission that any of these form a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in the United States or in any other country.